Jabatan Pengajian Politeknik, KPT

MALAYSIA EDUCATION 2015-2025 (HIGHER EDUCATION)

Executive Summary

The Malaysian higher education system has grown from strength to strength over the past few decades. Over the last ten years alone, the system has made significant gains in student enrolment, risen in global recognition on key dimensions such as research publications, patents, and institutional quality, as well as become a top destination for international students. These achievements are a testament to the drive and innovation of the Malaysian academic community, the support of the private sector, as well as the deep investment the Government has made.

Nonetheless, the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) recognises that the system will need to keep evolving to stay abreast with, if not ahead of, global trends. For example, disruptive technologies such as advanced robotics, the Internet of Things, and the automationof knowledge work are expected to dramatically reshape the business and social landscape from what it is today. Preparing Malaysian youth to thrive in this complex and ever-changing future will require an equally fundamental transformation of how the higher education system and higher learning institutions (HLIs) currently operate.

In 2013, the Ministry thus began developing the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015–2025 (Higher Education) or the MEB (HE). Over the course of two years, the Ministry drew on multiple sources of input, from Malaysian and international education experts, to leaders of Malaysian HLIs and members of the public. The end product is a blueprint that was developed by Malaysians, for Malaysians, and that will equip Malaysia for the final leg of its journey towards becoming a high-income nation.

Development Approach

The MEB (HE) was developed through a collaborative and consultative process driven by leading Malaysian thinkers with over 100 stakeholder groups providing input and thousands of individuals engaged. The stakeholders engaged encompassed Malaysian and global education experts, university administrators, university Boards, the academic community, unions and associations, Ministry staff, industry bodies and employers, relevant agencies, parents, students, and members of the public.

The development process started with a review of the National Higher Education Strategic Plan, or Pelan Strategik Pengajian Tinggi Negara (PSPTN). There were three distinct phases:

PHASE 1

Review of PSPTN (February 2013 to February 2014): The Ministry started with a comprehensive review of current performance and progress on PSPTN to establish a robust fact base on its strengths and weaknesses.

PHASE 2

Conceptualisation of the 10 Shifts (March 2014 to September 2014): Based on the review team’s findings and in consultation with stakeholders, the Ministry identified 10 Shifts that would be needed to take the Malaysian higher education system to the next level. The Ministry also carefully aligned these Shifts with existing national plans, most notably the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 (Preschool to Post-Secondary Education) or the MEB.

PHASE 3

Finalisation of the MEB (HE) (October 2014 to March 2015): The details of these 10 Shifts were finalised following another extensive round of public consultation and guidance from the Cabinet.

The New Higher Education System

Accordingly, the Ministry’s overriding aspiration is to create a higher education system that ranks among the world’s leading education systems and that enables Malaysia to compete in the global economy. The MEB (HE) builds on the system’s achievements to date and proposes major changes in the way the Ministry and system will operate in order to realise this goal. Specifically, the Ministry aspires to:

Instil an entrepreneurial mindset throughout Malaysia’s higher education system and create a system that produces graduates with a drive to create jobs, rather than to only seek jobs;

Construct a system that is less focused on traditional, academic pathways and that places an equal value on much-needed technical and vocational training;

Focus on outcomes over inputs and to actively pursue technologies and innovations that address students’ needs and enable greater personalisation of the learning experience;

Harmonise how private and public institutions are regulated, and to transition from the current, highly-centralised governance system for HLIs to a model based on earned autonomy within the regulatory framework; and

Ensure the financial sustainability of the higher education system by reducing HLIs reliance on government resources and asking all stakeholders that directly benefit from it to contribute as well.

The 10 Shifts

To achieve these system and student aspirations, the MEB (HE) outlines 10 Shifts that will spur continued excellence in the higher education system. All 10 Shifts address key performance issues in the system, particularly with regard to quality and efficiency, as well as global trends that are disrupting the higher education landscape. Figure 4.1 shows the 10 Shifts of Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB) for Higher Education (HE).

10 Shifts of Malaysian Education Transformation

The first four Shifts focus on outcomes for key stakeholders in the higher education system, including students in academic and TVET pathways, the academic community, as well as all Malaysians participating in lifelong learning. The other six Shifts focus on enablers for the higher education ecosystem, covering critical components such as funding, governance, innovation, internationalisation, online learning, and delivery;